Drinking Responsibly: Hard Cider
To be completely honest, my relationship with cider is lengthy and varied. As a child I was a Martinelli's Sparkling Cider fiend, developing my tastebuds for sparkling apple drinks from a very young age. In high school I took a school trip to Ireland and snuck my first drink from a bar with a friend when we were 18. That drink? A perfect pint of hard apple cider. In college, I found myself drinking odd home-brewed cider on the porches of co-ops in the summer, smiling through the musky flavors and basking in the independent spirit of home brewing. Even after this variety of experiences, I’ve come to really love a good cider, often opting to buy a six-pack to share with a friend who can’t eat gluten, or choosing cider when something sweeter than a beer suits my fancy. Something about cider always feels a bit more home-grown than beer and wine, and the variety of cider flavors on the market now can make cider exploration really fun. But, in typical Grounded Grub fashion, I’ve begun to wonder about the sustainability of cider.
As it turns out, cider production can be particularly sustainable in numerous ways, and can often be a more sustainable option than beer. Want to learn more? Join us on a dive into the history of cider, and how modern cider is paving the way to becoming truly sustainable in our ever-changing world. Cheers!
What is Cider?
There are two kinds of “apple cider” that may come to mind. First, a type of dark, unpasteurized apple juice that is often drunk in the fall, cold or hot, and sometimes spiked with some type of hard alcohol. Second, a carbonated, clear apple cider that has been fermented to naturally add alcohol, and is typically called “hard apple cider.” The first type of cider is actually just a step in the process to making the second, so today we’ll be primarily talking about hard apple cider (but both are delicious)! In Europe, all non-fermented apple juice is referred to as “juice”, and fermented apple juice is referred to as “cider.” Worldwide, cider varies in alcohol content from less than 3% alcohol by volume (ABV) as found in French varieties, to 8.5% ABV or above in traditional English ciders.
How is cider made?
Cider production and wine production are actually quite similar! Although if you’re not familiar with wine production, here are some basics when it comes to cider:
Apples are washed, cut and cored, then pressed through an apple press to extract the juice. This creates unpasteurized apple cider (which is delicious by itself). Pasteurization is a process of warming a liquid (like all of our milk) to kill all of the bacteria so it is safer for humans to drink. Pasteurization is a vital process for human health and increased life expectancy in the 1900s, but also gets rid of some of the natural yeasts that grow on the surface of organic apples. Many small scale cider producers don’t add any additional yeast and will instead simply wait for the cider to naturally ferment, but large scale producers must pasteurize to sell legally, so they add additional yeast to their cider to start and better control the production process. Most commonly, a strand of white wine yeast or champagne yeast is added to the cider. These strands are chosen because they are a vigorous agent that also preserves the apple flavors present in the cider. Then the cider ferments to the desired dryness. Dryness refers to the amount of residual sugar in a cider or wine—products with less sugars have a “dry” taste, while sweet products have more sugars left from the fermentation process. On average, cider takes about two weeks to complete the fermentation process, then sits for another week to allow the yeasts to completely settle. The cider is then moved into a clean vessel to age to a desired flavor, and wine fining agents such as gelatin or pectin are added to clarify the liquid. Lastly, the cider is bottled and different agents are added to achieve the desired carbonation level.
Note: Gelatin is an animal byproduct and pectin is a plant-based product. If you are a strict vegan, it may be worthwhile to learn about what your local cider or wine producer uses in their production to guarantee that your cider or wine is truly a vegan product.
A Brief History
The first recorded references to cider date back to the Roman empire. Historians note that in 55 BCE Julius Caesar found the Celtic Britons fermenting cider from native crabapples, while the people of northern Spain were making sidra during this time as well. The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 resulted in the introduction of many apple varieties from France and cider soon became the most popular drink after ale. Cider is still very popular in England, which has the highest per capita consumption as well as the largest cider producing companies in the world.
In the US, European colonists planted apple trees in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1620s. In Colonial America, cider was the most common beverage—even children drank it in a diluted form! In many places, the water was not safe to drink, but most homesteads had an apple orchard. Pressing and fermenting fresh apple juice was the easiest way to preserve the large fruit harvest, and in rural communities, even taxes and wages were often paid in cider. However, by the late 1800s, cider began its decline from the most popular beverage in the nation. A most notable cause was the industrial revolution that led to population growth in cities and abandonment of small orchards in the country. This time also saw the increase in national grain production and immigrants from Ireland and Germany who would popularized beer across the country.
By the time Prohibition was enacted in 1919, the production of cider in the U.S. fell from 55 million gallons in 1899 to only 13 million gallons. Over the next several decades US cider was kept alive by only a few local farmers and enthusiasts. In recent years there has been a resurgent interest in cider making, and today cider is one of the fastest-growing segments of the liquor industry. New tax legislation in 2015 brought U.S cider definitions into alignment with international standards, including pears as well as apples in the definition of hard cider.
Where does it come from?
Apple cider is produced nearly everywhere apples are grown. Due to limitations around preservation and shipping, cider producing regions used to be the highest cider consuming regions as well. Now that bottling and preservation has increased in quality and reliability, cider is available globally. While historically cider has been a product of Europe, it has gained popularity in the United States, especially in the last ten years. Popular US brands come from major apple producing regions like upstate New York and the Pacific Northwest. Angry Orchard for example is located in upstate New York and Seattle Cider company in Washington—the largest apple producing state.
Avenues for Sustainability
Like everything we do, there is an environmental impact of sipping on cider. Since cider is such a varied product, there are many ways that cider makers can work to reduce their environmental impact and contribute to a more sustainable food system. As is the case with so many products, change can come by choosing to support sustainable producers, so here are some practices to look for:
Ingredients: The apple varietal used for cider is the base for the cider flavor, so while some cider producers use the same apples we might use for eating, other cider producers grow special apple cider varieties. Apples are often one of the most chemical intensive crops in the world. Conventionally grown apples are notorious for their chemical demands. Many of these chemicals are used for cosmetic perfection, which is not necessary for apples intended for cider production. For this reason, some apples produced for cider may use less chemicals, even if they are not 100% organic. This also means that some cideries can use apples that do not meet cosmetic standards for eating but work just fine once they are through a press. The physical layout of an orchard can offer a unique opportunity for integrated farming systems. Some farms like Good Life Farm, who run the Fingerlakes Cider House, strategically let their turkeys graze throughout the orchard. These turkeys fertilize the trees as they run around, and eat pests and bugs that would otherwise bother the apple trees. This integrated farming system reduces chemicals and creates delicious apples and turkeys that are also sold on the farm during the holidays.
Waste reduction: After pressing apples, the byproduct can be used as animal feed or composted.
Energy Efficiency: For any processing facility—pressing cider to canning tomatoes—energy consumption is one way to impact sustainability. One area where ciders have an advantage over distilleries or breweries is that cider production doesn’t require heat, so they use much less energy. Cider production facilities can install solar panels and work to make their cider carbon neutral. They can also consider the type of fuel used to power their delivery vehicles. With any “carbon neutral” certification it’s important to dig deeper into how they’re actually achieving neutrality—carbon neutrality can easily be a greenwashing tool via land conservation easements that result in land grabs in foreign countries.
Packaging: The packaging of cider can be a big factor in its sustainability. Cans are lighter than bottles so they take less energy to transport. Both cans and glass bottles can be recycled indefinitely, but that process can still be energy intensive. Labels can be printed using plant-based inks, and many local areas now offer growler fills where patrons can reuse a large growler to take large amounts of cider home in 100% reusable packaging. Usually kegs in restaurants for taps are reused as well, so a pint at a restaurant in a glass is also a great way to enjoy a zero-waste cider with friends!
Buy Local: Buying local cider is a great way to reduce the amount of energy consumed transporting cider. Local companies also may offer growler fills or you can buy directly from them. Also local companies often tend to be more invested in their community and pay livable wages.
How is it enjoyed?
Hard apple cider is usually canned or poured into a pint (when you go to a bar), and drank cold. It is a carbonated beverage that’s usually considered an alternative to beer and is a common option for individuals who are gluten intolerant.
Other fruits can be used to make cider-like drinks, and the most popular is made from fermented pear juice, known as perry. Many modern ciders use apple as the base flavor, but have additional fruit juices added after fermentation for flavor and sweetness. This can range from berries to pineapple to even hops to mimic the taste of some beers.
While cider is usually enjoyed “straight up”, there are some cocktails that use cider.
Like non-alcoholic apple cider, many people simply add a shot of whiskey to their hard apple cider for an extra kick and flavor.
Many apple cider cocktails use a combination of iconic fall and winter flavors. This vodka-based cocktail combines orange, cranberries and apple cider.
Apple cider can be used as the base for a moscow mule, combining apple, ginger and cinnamon for a delectable flavor combination.
Apple cider can be used as the base for a sangria using apples and lemon juice. While many cider recipes give of fall and winter “vibes” this one definitely could carry us into spring and summer.
Supporting a local cidery can help make a local impact that helps foster sustainable community growth. You can also invest in procuring cider from cider makers who have historically been left out of the field. Cider Culture has a list of features on women-run cider business that offer a wide range of high quality products. There are very few black-owned cider companies but we were able to find Ironbound Cider in New Jersey, and you may be able to find more in your area. Contact us, if you think there’s a company we should add to this article!
As always, we encourage you to do your own research. Look up companies before purchasing their products, learn how they produce their hard cider and consider their community impacts. Plus, it’s always fun to taste small-baches and spread out your support!
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